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Country: Saudi Arabia

The crisis in Yemen

Yemen continues to struggle with its worst crisis in years, as conflicting parties fight for control of the nation. The UN's special advisor says the country has been pushed to the brink of civil war, in a tussle that has serious implications for the region and the security of the West. By Elham ManeaMore

Battles in Yemen

As the situation deteriorates almost by the hour in Yemen, the sheer uncertainty of what happens next could trigger a regional conflict, writes Adam Baron of the European Council on Foreign Relations.More

Islam and religious freedom

Those who search the Koran for arguments in favour of intolerance and war will find what they are looking for – if they simply take the words literally and disregard their historical context. The Koran should not be read as a book, but as a discourse, says Halis Albayrak, head of the Institute for Koran Exegesis at the Islamic-Theological Faculty of the University of AnkaraMore

Sunni-Shia conflict

Anyone who thinks that the Sunnis in Tikrit and Mosul will welcome the opponents of Islamic State with open arms as liberators is mistaken. They fear the Shia militias even more than they do IS. This shows how the inner-Islamic religious war has polarised Iraqi society. By Stefan BuchenMore

Turkey's mosque-building programme

An ambitious international mosque-building programme is seen as the latest step in the Turkish president's ambitious bid to put Turkey at the centre of Muslim world. During his visit to Cuba in February, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan requested that his country be allowed to build a mosque in Havana. At present, 18 major mosques are being built by the Turkish state across the globe from Somalia to Kazakhstan. By Dorian JonesMore

Manifesto published by Muslim intellectuals

Muslim intellectuals have called on their fellow believers to indentify the failures of Muslim societies and develop an Islam for the twenty-first century. Loay Mudhoon believes that Europe should unreservedly support this effortMore

Political crisis in Yemen

Yemen is no stranger to crisis. Exposed to a regional proxy war between Iran and Saudi Arabia, plagued by an entrenched al-Qaida affiliate and divided by tribal disputes and a secession movement, the country has become a poster child for everything that can go wrong in the Arab world. By Barak BarfiMore

"Women of the Islamic State"

Marriage at age nine is permitted, working is not; make-up is evil. A new treatise written by female supporters of IS sheds light on the image and role of women in the area controlled by Islamic State. By Prof Susanne SchroeterMore

Saudi Arabia and Iran after the death of King Abdullah

The rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran has been known to reach explosive heights on occasion. Deadly proxy conflicts are currently raging in a number of flash points in the Middle East. By Adnan TabatabaiMore

The West's strategy in the Middle East

The islands of stability in the Arab-Islamic world are shrinking. In the face of war and chaos, the West continues to cling to its new-old allies: the "moderate Sunni regimes". The aim of this alliance, which purportedly shares goals and ideals, is that "good Islam" will conquer "bad Islam" with Western support. By Stefan BuchenMore

The crisis in Yemen

Since 22 January, Yemen has been mired in an almost unresolvable crisis of government. After a power struggle that lasted several days, President Hadi stepped down along with Prime Minister Bahah and his whole cabinet. Marie-Christine Heinze takes a closer look at the current crisis and its wider implicationsMore

On the death of King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia

King Abdullah, who died on 23 January aged around 90, was seen as a moderate reformer in a deeply conservative country. His death raises questions over the future of Saudi Arabia's moderate reform path. Menno Preuschaft explores how Abdullah earned his reputation as the "Reform King"More

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Most Recent Photo Essay

Nowruz is one of the oldest celebrations in the world. It has been a fixture on the cultural calendar in many regions for more than 2,500 years. It marks the beginning of spring and also the change of seasons in the Iranian solar calendar. Sharam Ahad offers his impressions of the celebrations.